Meet the team
Dr. Jonathan Birnie, Managing Director
jonathan@birnieconsultancy.com
With over 25 years of comprehensive whole-chain experience in the Food Industry, Jonathan is well connected and has helped multiple businesses succeed in attaining their goals.
He is a graduate of Edinburgh University with a PhD from the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland/Queens University Belfast and has published a range of scientific papers. He has worked as a Policy Advisor for the National Farmers Union in England before moving on to become Sainsburys’ Agricultural Manager. Headhunted by Dunbia (one of Europe’s leading red meat processors), he then spent 13 years running Agricultural Supply Chain Research and Development, finishing as Head of Agriculture and Research (reporting to company CEO) with a team spread across the UK. Jonathan is also a Nuffield Scholar (2014 year) where he studied methods of effecting change in agriculture and food production.
Jonathan is an exceptional people manager with over 20 years of multi-site, multi-project management and delivery at a commercial level with several of these projects involving detailed project governance. He is a very strong communicator, chair and facilitator with the ability to relate to all aspects of the production chain from family farm through to multi-national agribusiness and retailer. He has extensive experience of the setup of specialist food chains and delivering them to commercial retail and has managed a number of very significant and high-profile projects, including being part of the team that recently produced the ISRAF report.
Jonathan founded Birnie Consultancy in 2017 as a way to use his unique skillset to benefit a broad range of businesses. He works extensively with clients to understand their issues and develop practical solutions.
Ashley Hassin, General Manager
Before joining Birnie Consultancy in 2020, Ashley spent 15 years’ working in Publishing, Marketing, Events, and Project Management. He has an HND (Distinction) in Graphic Communications and has spent his career working with brands to easily communicate complicated concepts in easy-to-understand ways in print, digital, and video.
As both a trained graphic designer and published writer, Ashley has the ability to disseminate information in ways people can easily understand. This skill is most useful when compiling reports for clients, ensuring that the findings of our team of consultants are properly presented and can be understood by its audience.
Ashley is an experienced manager of people and projects, having overseen the delivery of multiple programmes throughout his career, including acting as Project Lead to ensure the production of 8 weekly newspapers from 2017 to 2020.
Since joining Birnie Consultancy he has worked with a number of clients in a variety of roles where both his project management and communications skills have been essential to success. These have ranged from business start-up management, farm research project management, consumer research, industry analysis, CSR report production, editing, copywriting, and auditing.
Ashley acts as liaison between our clients and delivery teams, ensuring projects are delivered on time and to the high standards expected.
Dr Iain Maguire, Lead Consultant
Iain has 10 year’s of experience in analytical, laboratory and scientific Before joining Birnie Consultancy, Iain worked extensively in science and research. He has published a range of scientific papers and has proven experience in the collection, handling and analysis of a wide range of data. He is an experienced research project manager, having delivered multiple programmes across Queens University and Randox.
His own research has focused on the Potential applications of Bio-logging to Assess the Behaviour and Welfare of Captive and Domestic Herbivores. He has proven experience in the delivery of highly detailed fieldwork which has included the collection of real-time information data, as well as the collaboration with and management of teams of researchers and landowners to facilitate data collection.
Iain has experience constructing and conducting questionnaires with business owners and stakeholders using an interview technique to put the interviewees at ease and gain relevant information. This allows him to delve deeper into relevant subjects.
He is highly experienced at data entry, management and analysis using EXCEL, R, QGIS, DDMT and Framework 4, involving data processing and manipulation, statistical modelling, spatial analysis and data visualisation.
Iain is also a practical farmer, managing his own suckler cow enterprise in the Clogher Valley.
Iain joined Birnie Consultancy in 2022 from a key worker role in the coronavirus pandemic where he led teams and worked in project management. As Lead Consultant, he is responsible for ensuring that projects are delivered by our team of consultants on time and to specification.
Dr. Ryan Law, Senior Consultant
Ryan has over 15 years of experience in planning and conducting research projects addressing Supply Chain issues within the Food Industry. These include all elements of the supply chain from production practices, processing and meat quality. The key areas of his work include improving production and economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and animal welfare within multiple sectors (Beef, Lamb and Dairy).
Ryan has an undergraduate degree in Animal Science from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Ruminant Nutrition and Production from Queen’s University, Belfast and has published a range of scientific papers.
After 9 years in research with the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute as a Senior Scientific Officer, he moved to a Dunbia (one of Europe’s biggest red meat processors) as a Research and Development Manager before progressing to the Head of Research and Development. This work included supply chain integration and efficiency improvements at all levels of the supply chain.
Ryan is exceptionally innovative and has significant experience in strategic development, solutions development, project planning and management of large project teams, data analysis and report writing. He has delivered numerous high-value R&D projects throughout his career. He is a strong leader with the drive and enthusiasm to motivate teams to deliver on predetermined targets.
As one of our Senior Consultants, Ryan works together with our team to ensure the delivery of projects for our clients.
Jonathan Wilson, Senior Consultant
With over 15 years of management experience in trading, logistics, supply chain, strategy and stakeholder management, Jonathan is a highly knowledgeable consultant who demonstrates high performance in meeting strategic challenges across diverse and fluid environments.
Jonathan is a graduate of Queens University Belfast, with a Masters Degree from the University of Glasgow. For the majority of his career he has worked in the grain industry with ABB Grain, Viterra and Glencore. Jonathan has in-depth knowledge of all levels of the sector from harvesting and processing to logistics, business development and beyond. His knowledge and experience of international markets are unsurpassed.
He has also acted as a board member of multiple industry associations, including the South Australian Freight Council, Wheat Quality Australia, the Australian Geothermal Energy Association, and has acted in the capacity of chair for the National Grower Register.
He is experienced in contract development and negotiation, business unit management, staff management, organisational restructuring, logistics management, market analysis, national and international trading, and relationship development within supply chains.
His track record is impeccable, and he is now a highly sought-after consultant working with businesses in a range of commercial and strategic roles, from logistics to supply chain development.
Having agreed to join Birnie Consultancy in 2022 as an Associate, Jonathan adds extensive expertise to our delivery team..
Owen Lucas, Business Development Manager
As Business Development Manager, Owen has been instrumental in the delivery of several consultancy projects in the area of food and Agri-development.
His core skills are around the administrative project management, consultancy support, report management, project governance and customer liaison, with a particular specialism in conducting research to underpin decision making within a project context.
As a PRINCE2 accredited Project Manager, Owen works closely our delivery teams ensuring all projects are completed on time and according to specification.
Owen is one of the most knowledgeable people in Europe on food assurance schemes, having driven the production of in-depth reports on comparative farm analysis for Red Tractor, Morrisons, Quality Meat Scotland, Farm Assurance Northern Ireland and others.